It's A Celebration
by We'reTheOnesWhoWrite
Summary: The Grimes family have been tasked with keeping a big secret from Team Family. The true test comes when a huge celebration is being held at The Kingdom in honor of the significant progress each community have made after All Out War. With expectancy in the air, who will buckle under the pressure? Who will rise above the excitement and hold onto the secret?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Here to kick off the first chapter of this collaboration, is one of the best new writers to grace the fandom with her work! Though **Nwfanmega** is probably a familiar name to most of us from her magnificent reviews, she just published her first Richonne fic not long ago. You won't be surprised to find that her writing is beautiful, insightful and full of humor, just like her reviews.

Be sure to check out her story on her fanfic page

 **-We're The Ones Who Write**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"I swear to God Rick," Michonne warned, sprawled across their bed, desperately trying to shimmy into her dark-washed extra skinnies. "I hear even a _hint_ of laughter from you, and you're in _big_ trouble mister!"

Rick stood in the threshold of their ensuite bathroom, gaping at the vision of his wife flat on her back, grunting loudly as she attempted to pull up her favorite – his too – pair of jeans. He leaned an arm against the doorway, spellbound by the arousing gyrations taking place just a few feet away. His other hand gripped a towel, slung low and loose around his waist, as he bit his bottom lip to keep from displaying any obvious signs of merriment in her present predicament.

Michonne lifted her head from the mattress to peer over at him, taking in his labor-sculpted torso, scarred and battered, yet amazingly strong, resilient, and so very sexy. The amusement in Rick's eyes was evident as he absentmindedly leaned slightly backwards to stretch out the remaining stiffness that had left pinpricks of discomfort across his lower back. She could see how his propensity for near-scalding showers had turned the skin of his upper body a pronounced pinkish hue. But it had also relaxed his aching muscles and soothed the soreness that still plagued his right knee, not yet fully healed after the end of their war with the Saviors.

The consequences of their hard-fought victory never completely left Rick's mind, nor Michonne's for that matter. As his ears tuned into the faint chatter of voices coming from downstairs, Rick took a moment to savor his surroundings. He marveled at how their home now buzzed with activity, everyone scrambling to ready themselves for the drive to the Kingdom and the long-awaited celebration of their triumph over Negan.

Rick looked down, shaking his head and quietly chuckling to himself as he pictured what was sure to be a grand pageant put on by Ezekiel and his crew. He was sure the theatrical man wouldn't be able to help himself. But this would likely be the rare case where Rick wasn't bothered by what he assumed would be an eye-rolling spectacle. They all relished the opportunity to catch their collective breaths and simply enjoy the quiet comforts so infrequently afforded them in this new world.

After finally putting the prospects of a life of subjugation to Negan to rest, they'd spent the majority of the time since building partnerships with other communities and securing Alexandria against unforeseen threats. Rick and Michonne's household was eager to join friends and family at the Kingdom to not only revel in all they had achieved, but honor those who had sacrificed to get them here.

As Michonne continued to hold Rick in place with her piercing gaze, she noted how the sun streamed through the sheer curtains of the bedroom windows, highlighting small droplets of water as they slowly trickled down his body. She watched his hand run through still-damp hair, pushing his beloved curls off his forehead. Ordinarily, Michonne would have smiled at the sight of her husband in such a state of undress, but she wasn't yet willing to concede to him after his indelicate laughter at her difficulties. Feeling defeated, she laid her head back onto the mattress.

Rick stood in place, contemplating how best to approach his aggravated wife, currently mired in a fruitless struggle to pull up her jeans. A particularly loud groan from Michonne, elicited a loud, inopportune guffaw from Rick. The sound caused Michonne's head to jerk back up off the bed, her eyes cutting to him like a blade through a fetid corpse.

 _Damn. She doesn't look pleased. Gotta be somethin' I can do to help._

He released his hold on the towel, letting it fall onto the carpeted bedroom floor as he stepped over it on his quest to help his love.

"Not one more step Rick," she cautioned, finding nothing amusing about her current situation. "You know better than to laugh. You oughta be on your knees thanking the heavens my katana is downstairs."

They had just crossed the fourth month of her pregnancy and she had spent much of the past week lamenting how _nothing_ seemed to fit any longer. She hated it. Rick, on the other hand, was not-so-secretly thrilled. He was elated to finally see the physical manifestation of their love bring visible changes to her body. The recognition of having reached the point where they could start thinking about _building_ something that would last beyond themselves had brought him unimaginable joy.

He tried not to smile, but _Mad Michonne_ was a favorite of his. She always looked _so_ adorable when frustrated over things she usually wouldn't have given a second thought. Threats of bodily harm aside, she looked particularly delectable at the moment. Her tiny bump, now furiously pushing against the confines of her jeans, was just one of the riveting transformations he'd noted as of late. He was awed by the way her already unbelievably soft skin had become even silkier. She seemed to glow from the inside out, leaving him to wonder how this was even possible in a still rough and dangerous world.

The morning sickness had subsided and she was feeling more like herself again. For that, he was grateful. Grateful for the now nearly nightly reaches towards him. Grateful for her new predilection for early morning escapades. Grateful for the sheer voracity of her passion for him.

"Awwww, sweetheart," he began, biting his lip a bit too harshly in an attempt to dampen his mirth. "Why don't you put on somethin' easier to wear? I got you all those pants during the last run, an–"

"I'm _not_ wearing elastic waistband pants Rick!" she groused, the emotional response from his usually even-tempered wife startling him just a bit. "I don't know why you got them for me in the first place. They aren't even my style."

"I got them because I want you to be _comfortable_ Michonne," he claimed, giving up on the impossible task of preventing his smile from emerging. He couldn't help himself. She was just too damn gorgeous when upset over something so petty.

"Riiiick," she drawled. "No one should _ever_ be that comfortable. It's a slippery slope and it _always_ starts with elastic waistbands. Before you know it, it's sweats at all hours of the day, and wearing a hair wrap outside. Nope. _I_ am not the one."

He furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side, baffled by her logic. How could comfort be a slippery slope? She read the confusion on his face. Sighing deeply, she began,

"My entire pregnancy with Andre, I dressed like _me_. I vowed pregnancy wouldn't ruin my fashion sense. If anything, I was even more stylish, if I do say so myself. I'm not going to be wearing sweatpants and caftans with this one. I refuse!"

"First off, I don't even know what a caf– cat– Wait, what was it again?" he queried.

"It's _caftan_ Rick," she grumbled, giving him a protracted eye roll. "You just proved my point. You have no idea what's fashionable."

He chuckled again, looking down at her from the side of the bed. She had managed to get the jeans past the smooth, buttery sleekness of her thighs, but was fighting to pull them beyond her widened hips and the additional… cushion that had added glorious padding to her backside.

His eyes tracked her movements as she writhed on their bed, clad in only a lavender lace bra and matching panties. Gazing down at her, he felt that familiar stirring. That well-known pull towards her that he could never bring himself to resist.

Her eyes quickly widened as she took in his stiffening member.

"Are you serious Rick?" she implored, looking up to find his eyes trained on hers. "We don't have _time_. We need to be out of here in 30 minutes. That'll be a miracle in itself."

Swooping onto the bed to straddle her, he tilted his head to the side and asserted, "don't need much time. This'll be quick… I promise."

"Yeah, right," she said, allowing him the honor of a genuine smile. "Do I look like a fool to you? I'm not falling for _that_ again."

"Aw, c'mon sweetheart," he whispered, playing dirty as he leaned down to run his tongue across the outer edge of her ear lobe. "Just a little sugar for daddy. Please?"

She giggled. He looked so sexy with his curls falling back onto his face as his deep blue eyes lustfully connected with her dark brown orbs. But Michonne was a woman of immense fortitude. She wasn't going to be swayed by the walking, talking distraction that was Rick Grimes.

"If you don't get off of me, we're never gonna to leave the house Rick."

"Hmmmm. Don't see the problem. Do you?"

"I'm serious. Just help me zip these and I'll be ready to go. Maybe I can use a cloth belt or something to hold them closed…"

"Not gonna let you do that," he replied, scooting backwards off the bed, while taking hold of her jeans and pulling them down her legs.

"Rick," she sputtered, gripping the jeans by a belt loop as she tried to keep them on her thighs. "What are you doing? It took me 10 minutes to get them this far!"

"Gotta better idea," he said, standing back onto the carpet, while turning her jeans inside out as he pulled the offending garment completely off her body and tossed them onto the floor.

He looked down at her, taking in the sublime expanse of dark, unbelievably glossy skin that covered her body. He could sup from her all day and never be full.

"Well?" she asked, annoyed that he was just standing there, though she didn't mind staring at his wondrously nude form for a moment… or two. "Are you going to actually help your poor suffering wife out?"

Smirking, he turned and strutted towards their closet, allowing her the distinct pleasure of viewing his cute little butt and bowed-legs from the back. As he disappeared into the closet, her lips curved upwards into a lascivious grin. Maybe they _did_ have a little time for some fun.

After rummaging in their closet for what seemed like forever, Rick walked out holding a red sundress covered in tiny, intricately placed white daisies. She gave him a curious look; he smiled broadly at her surprise.

"Where'd you get that?" she questioned, pointing at the beautiful vintage-style dress in his hands.

"Found it sittin' in the window of some shop a few runs ago," he stated, pleased that he seemed to have picked right. "Been hidin' it on my side of the closet and waitin' for the perfect chance to give it to you. Knew you'd look beautiful in it."

Her smile brightened as she got up from the bed and walk over to take a closer look. She took it from his hands, running her fingers over the exquisitely soft material, admiring the rich color, as well as the stylishly open back and halter-top neckline. The loose bodice would be perfect for skimming over her growing bump and concealing their little surprise.

"It's perfect Rick," she whispered, her chin beginning to tremble. "Why am I crying over this? Jeez. These hormones will be the death of me!"

Pulling her into an embrace, he said, "I love you sweetheart. Wanted you to have somethin' nice."

He bent down to capture her lips, crushing the dress between them as his tongue explored her mouth. Soft moans rose from both of them as her body, flush against his, felt the inescapable indication of his awakening.

 _What's a few more minutes?_

A loud bang from downstairs interrupted their revelry. The subsequent shout from Carl of "everything's fine!" brought laughter and recognition to both that there'd be no 'late-morning delight'. Not today at least.

"Saved by the bell," she sighed, looking up to catch the mild annoyance in his eyes.

He nodded. _Plenty of time for that tonight_.

"You need to get ready anyway," Michonne stated, taking the lovely dress from him and shaking out wrinkles their brief dalliance had caused. "I need to go down there and make sure those kids haven't destroyed all my hard work."

Under Rick's unrelenting gaze, Michonne reached back and unclasped her bra, watching as it dropped to the floor. Untying the halter neck closure of her new dress, she stepped into it, drawing it up her body while watching Rick's eyes follow its path. She pulled the top of the dress around her neck and turned her back towards him.

"Tie me up?" she purred, feeling the heat emanating from his body as reached out for the strings to tie a bow at the back of her neck.

Completing his task, he took a moment to trail his calloused hands over the warm, smooth expanse of her back, his tender caresses causing tingles across her skin. He leaned in, placing wet kisses onto her back, while gripping her hip to hold her in place as he brought her back flush with his front. She chuckled, knowing what game he was trying to play, yet again.

"Woah, cowboy," she teased, turning to face him.

The pout on his lips only added to her glee. She rose onto her toes and pulled him towards her as he leaned down to share a long, leisurely kiss. She released his lips, exhaling slowly as she planted her feet back onto the ground and smiled up at him.

"Don't be too long," she said, turning her back to him as she made her way downstairs.

* * *

"Judith, what did I just say?" Carl asked, irritated by his baby sister's inability to follow his simple instructions. "You can't sit on the counter playing around or you'll fall and hurt yourself. You already dropped your toys."

Judith looked over at her brother, slumped against the stove, ladling the deer stew that Michonne had lovingly prepared into the large serving containers Enid had brought from the pantry. It smelled delicious. So delicious that Carl had snuck a few mouthfuls as he emptied the pot. Enid, from her perch on a barstool in front of the island, covered her mouth to keep from laughing aloud. The banter between Carl and Judith always tickled her. Feisty Judith was something to behold.

"Na-ah," she declared. "Mommy lets me sit on the counter and help. She _always_ needs help and says I'm the best because _you_ do things the wrong way and she has to fix it. Annnnd, you always eat stuff when it's s'posed to be for everyone! Right Enid?"

"Sorry Carl," Enid said, laughing as she took in the comical look of annoyance her boyfriend was throwing her way. "She _does_ make a good point."

"Whatever Judas," Carl retorted, rolling his eyes as Enid tipped her head towards the ceiling and snorted with laughter.

Judith leaned back onto the countertop, her self-satisfied smile raising a short cackle from Carl. Judith narrowed her eyes, her little brows furrowing in tandem. If there was one thing his sweet-faced baby sister didn't like, it was not being in on the joke. Busted taking a few bites from the dish, he knew Judith would tattle the _minute_ Michonne and his dad came downstairs.

"How about I give you a bite Judith?" he asked. "C'mon now. It's your favorite."

Judith looked over at him. She really _did_ want a bite, but… Mommy said it was for the party. So, with the patience of Job, the little girl reluctantly shook her head.

"Unbelievable," Carl muttered, once again taken aback by the willpower of the three-year-old.

"Judy," he called out, hoping to distract her with a different topic. "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday? About the baby?"

Judy looked at him, not quite understanding the question. "Yeah…I 'member."

"We said we weren't going to talk about the baby, even though it's really, really exciting," he continued.

"'Course!" Judith huffed, crossing her little arms over her chest. " _Ev'body_ knows that."

She cast Carl a withering stare. Mommy had already _told_ her it was a secret. Mommy said it was _family business_. Judith knew this meant it was only for Mommy, Daddy, Carl, and herself. And sometimes Enid, but _no one_ else. She was really good at keeping secrets. After all, she hadn't told anyone about the chocolates her Mommy kept in a box on the floor of her closet. Mostly because Mommy would sneak her a piece when she was being good. And Judith always tried very hard to be good and make Mommy proud.

"Ok then," he replied, unable to prevent his lips from curling upwards as he took in Judith's perturbed countenance. "Just make sure you don't or I might have to tell Mommy…"

"Make sure she doesn't what?" Michonne asked, looking towards Carl as she crossed the doorway and stepped into the kitchen. "You better not be teasing my sweet girl."

Michonne look on as Carl first shook his head, then tipped it towards the ceiling, silently lamenting the clear bias towards all things Judith. Usually, he was onboard. But he didn't trust his nosy, talkative little sister to hold water, let alone a secret she'd been so excited about. He brought his eyes back to the task at hand and finished scooping the stew into the containers and covered them with matching lids.

"Mommy!" Judith exclaimed, reaching her arms out towards Michonne. "You look sooooo pretty!"

"Thank you, baby," Michonne replied, walking towards Judith's spot on the countertop. "Carl, I could hear you from upstairs. What exactly did you do to get my Judy-bug all riled up?"

Carl turned from the stove and cast a glance towards Michonne, now leaning across the center island and pulling the now compliant Judith into her arms. As she was swept into her mother's arms, Judith casually threw a smirk her big brother's way, then discreetly stuck her tongue out at him while snuggling deeper into Michonne's arms.

"Why do you think _I_ did something?" Carl asked, willing to relinquish for a moment his role as protective big brother in an effort to teach Judith a lesson. "You know, she's not a baby any more. She knows _exactly_ how to play you."

Michonne pivoted to take a look at Enid, smiling broadly as she quietly took in the usual morning shenanigans in the Grimes household. Having gotten to know this spirited young woman who loved and challenged her son, Michonne exchanged a complicit grin with her.

"Hmmmm. Maybe because you _always_ do something," Enid began, looking directly at the scowl now framing Carl's face. "I think the point of being a big brother is to, oh, I dunno, be the _mature_ one. How's Judith gonna learn?"

"Yeah Carl," Michonne piled on, watching as Carl's head swiveled between Enid's not-so-shocking betrayal and Michonne's, before landing on the true culprit: Judith, who's sunny smile was in direct conflict with the trouble she had knowingly just dropped into her brother's lap.

"You're her role model Carl," Michonne continued, glee sparkling in her eyes. "How will she learn if you don't lead by example?"

"Ok, ok, I got it," Carl surrendered, raising his hands in the air. "If you don't want my help preventing Judith from spilling the beans, then don't say I didn't warn you. _Judy-bug_ is a leaky boat."

Eyebrows raised, Carl dramatically shrugged his shoulders, before tilting his head towards Enid, gesturing for her to get up.

"C'mon, let's get this and the rest of the supplies for the Kingdom in the car. We needa see if Rosita wants to drive over with us."

"Didn't she leave with Eugene and Tara?" Michonne asked, holding Judith on one hip, while gripping a bowl of the remaining sliced apples from the huge batch of applesauce she'd made for the Kingdom in the other hand and gesturing for Judith to take a piece. "Didn't they leave last night? Eugene needed to set up the lighting for the dance floor and Tara wanted to learn how he does it."

"Yeah, well, you know how Rosita is," Carl began, gripping either side of the large container as Enid stacked smaller ones on top. "She's not exactly… the party type. You know how much she complains when we have these things. She _hates_ happy people, always griping and looking miserable."

"Carl," Michonne chastised, freezing him in place with a stern look. "You _know_ that's not true. She's been struggling… it's been awhile, but some wounds take longer to heal than others. She still feels guilty. We just need to give her more time. Trust me. She'll come around."

Carl nodded, chiding himself for not being more understanding. Balancing the containers in his hands, he turned towards the front door with Enid following closely behind.

"I'll load this into the car and meet you guys out there in 20 minutes," Carl stated. "Let's see if we actually leave on time."

"Bye-bye!" Judith cheerfully called out as she wrapped her little arms around Michonne's neck.

"See you in a few," Michonne added. "Come on Judy-bug, let's go find your shoes."

* * *

"So, my lovely," Michonne said, rubbing noses with a giggling Judith as she walked over to the couch to help Judith put on her shoes. "What exactly did you do to your brother?"

Judith leaned away from her mother, scrunching her little face as if she had just taken a hard suck from a particularly sour lemon.

"Nothing Mommy!" she exclaimed, her hands playing with the crimped edges of Michonne's locs, festively adorned with the gold clips Judith so adored.

"Nothing huh?" Michonne replied, reaching under the coffee table for the white sandals with flowers on the buckles Judith _insisted_ on wearing whenever anyone mentioned a party. "If I ask Carl, what is going to tell me?"

"Ahhhh," Judith pondered, debating whether or not to give up the goods. "Weeelll… Carl keeps saying I'm going to tell 'bout the baby, but I already _know_ I'm not supposed to tell. You said it's _family business_ and I know what that means. I'm a big girl."

"Oh baby," Michonne cooed, looking on as Judith tried to puzzle through the logic of Carl's proclamations. "We _know_ you're a big girl. You know Carl's just playing with you."

"Well, I don't like it," she announced, once again crossing her arms over her chest and letting out a exaggerated huff. "I know _lots_ of stuff and I don't tell. Daddy walks in your room with boots on when you're not home, even though he's _s'pposed_ to keep them by the door so we don't track dirt into the house. And Carl cleans his gun on the dinner table and he's _s'pposed_ to do it outside! I n'ver told!"

Michonne couldn't hide the look of bemusement on her face as Judith, indignant as ever, unknowingly proceeded to spill tea on both Rick and Carl. When she had satisfactorily completed her rant, she leaned back against the couch cushions and crossed her legs.

"See Mommy?" Judith asked, fully expecting her mother to take her side. "I keep secrets!"

"I know you do baby," she said, leaning over to give her a soothing rub on the back as Judith nodded her head in agreement.

"Mommy?" Judith began, already forgetting all about her previous rage. "Can I change? I don't like this dress anymore."

"Judith, we don't have time," she began, ignoring the look of vexation taking over Judith's cute features.

"Pleeeaassse Mommy?" Judith implored, those big sorrowful eyes looking up at Michonne through long, nearly blonde eyelashes. "I want to match your dress. Please?"

Michonne didn't stand a chance. Not with that face peering up at her.

"Alright Judith," Michonne acquiesced, buckling Judith's sandals.

A smile rocketed across Judith's face as she quickly jumped down from the couch.

"Just make sure you let Daddy help you because we only have 15 more minutes."

"Ok Mommy!" she called out, running through the living room and up the stairs.

* * *

"Daddy!" Judith cried out, short of breath as she rounded the corner towards her parent's bedroom and ran right into Rick's shins.

"Slow down Judith!" Rick exclaimed, grabbing her by the shoulders before they both landed on the ground. "Where's the fire?"

"Nowhere!" Judith exclaimed, looking up at him with a confused grin. "Mommy said I have to hurry and change my dress. You have to help me put on my red dress so we match!"

Rick laughed as Judith raced around him towards her bedroom, lifting her yellow sundress over her head as she ran. He followed her into the room, looking on as she frantically opened up her closet door.

"There it is!" she excitedly shouted, jumping up and down and pointing to the dress sitting prettily on the hanger.

Rick leaned over and plucked it from the rod, bring it down for Judith's perusal.

"It's perfect," she quietly stated, clutching the dress to her chest while gently rubbing the fabric.

 _Like mother, like daughter._

Rick pulled the red dress with white polka dots over Judith's head, careful to not mess up the two pigtails Michonne had artful created, even though Judith herself had set them slightly askew by haphazardly pulling off her previous dress. As Rick knelt to smoothed down the dress, Judith excitedly spun around for him, the movement causing the dress to whirl around her.

"You look beautiful sweetheart," Rick said, bending down to her height to lean in and give her a hug.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Judith replied proudly.

Pulling her into his arms, he lifted her up as he rose to his feet.

"Remember what we talked about?" Rick began, as he walked out of her room and into the hallway. "We can't tell _anyone_ about the baby, right?"

"I know Daddy!" Judith sighed, rolling her eyes theatrically.

 _Gonna have to talk to Carl about all his eye rollin'. No need for his bad habits to rub off on his baby sister._

"I'm good at keeping secrets. I never told you about Mommy's chocolate!"

"Oh Judy, _everybody_ knows about Mommy's chocolate," Rick chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"But _I_ didn't tell you!" Judith insisted, her wide eyes capturing her father's as he held onto the railing and carefully walked them down the stairs.

"I know darlin', I know," he soothed, giving her a kiss on the cheek as they cleared the bottom step and walked into the kitchen. He smiled at her obliviousness to having just done _exactly_ what she said she hadn't.

He spied Michonne across the room, picking up their overnight bag from its spot next to the front door. He stared as she quickly slipped on her white strappy wedges. She was breathtaking. She looked up at him, taking him in as he carried a smiling Judith towards her.

"You ready?" she asked, reaching for the door knob.

"Yeah," he replied, leaning in to place a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "Let's head on out."

As she finally released him, they took a moment to look into each other's eyes, smiling at the joy each found in the other's. In a world still fraught with unforeseeable danger, these moments of quiet bliss invigorated their souls. Michonne turned and opened the front door, slinging the bag over her shoulder as she reached behind her for Rick's hand. Rick slid Judith to the ground and closed the door, freeing his hand to grasp Michonne's as they headed out for what was sure to be an epic celebration.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** For this next update, it is time to introduce one of the fandom's most prolifically creative writers. **Tigerwalk3** is known for her Richonne love stories rich with complex characterizations.

Be sure to check out her other works on her fanfic page.

 **-We're The Ones Who Write**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Ezekiel's reputation for pageantry had preceded him from the moment they had been introduced to the grey-haired, self-appointed king, and it seemed party planning was a parallel talent. The entire Kingdom had been transformed to a venue fit for a...well fit for a king. The courtyard area, already impressive with its lush green foliage and spectacular seasonal blooms, had been decked with flickering torches lining a makeshift dance floor, and what must have been hundreds of paper stars that the children had fashioned out of folded paper and strung from the lower branches of the trees. There were banquet tables lined with crisp, white tablecloths and overflowing platters of spit-smoked meats and fresh vegetables. There was music floating around the entire area, pumping softly from speakers that Eugene rigged through a series of apocalyptic work-arounds that Rick hadn't even bothered to try to comprehend.

Previously, Rick had considered his new friend's flare for ambiance superfluous to their immediate goal of survival and the advancement of their respective communities, but with the defeat of the man whose own version of showmanship had nearly squashed those goals completely, he acquiesced to the need to preserve some semblance of the old world when supplies allowed for it. Besides, he had become the party planning committee's number one supporter the moment he'd found the dress Michonne was currently donning. If he had still needed an excuse to celebrate, her legs in that short skirt were the final push.

They had already dropped their bags off in the rooms that had been made available for their overnight stay- the double room he was sharing with Michonne set up like a lavish hotel room at some pre-apocalypse resort. There were some perks to the close friendship they had developed with Zeke, he had decided, when he saw that Carl and Judith were afforded a separate space to share. He had even decided to forgive the Zeke's less than clandestine visual grazing of his wife, given the fact that his generosity had made it possible for Rick to be able to do much more than graze later on in private. He had every intention of it, but first he decided to be a full participant in the party by making his way to the beverage station and enjoying some of the whiskey, delivered personally by Jesus, from Gregory and Negan's respective stashes. The occasional sips of homemade swill that Daryl had shared back home had done the job when the stress of war pressed heavily on their minds and the need to numb themselves had out weighed the MORE, but tonight he was allowing himself something a little more enjoyable to indulge in for the pure sake of indulgence.

He had left Michonne reluctantly when she had asked for a tour of the gardens, and Carl and Enid had already exchanged their company for some of the kids their own age. Carol had Judy on a meet and greet tour, which she was more than happy to be the star of, so he was officially free to do whatever he pleased.

He spotted Daryl and Morgan clinking together a couple of glasses of dark brown liquid and tossing them back with matching satisfied smiles on their faces, and he made his way over to get one of his own.

"You look well," Morgan said, reaching out for a hearty handshake as he approached. Rick received the greeting, returning his own genuine smile at the sight of his old friend.

"That might be an understatement," he said, his mouth curling into a grin he couldn't help. He thought about his wife, and how people kept noting how healthy and vital she looked lately. That pregnancy glow was inspiring all sorts of compliments despite the reason for it remaining unshared. They were both more than well these days, and he briefly wondered if his own face wore the same hints.

"Zeke knows how to throw a thing," Daryl said, pointing with his empty glass at the groups of people from all communities milling about with similar looks of merriment.

"Never doubted he would," Rick replied. He nodded to the table behind Morgan and set his hands on his hips. "Never thought I'd be contemplating my choices when it came to having a drink again."

"Ah, choices we have, my friend," Morgan said with a knowing grin that sparked up to his dark eyes. He had seemingly made his own choice some time ago. "What was your poison, Rick? Back in the old world."

"I never turned down a good whiskey," he said, scanning the labels on the array of differently shaped bottles, the likes of which spanned all of the now-proverbial shelves.

"Well then, you won't turn this one down," Morgan said, plucking a short, round bottle from the group and displaying it like a waiter would display a fine wine at a restaurant.

Rick read the name, his chest filling with nostalgia at the brand of liquor he'd shared many a toast with Shane over; the day they'd graduated the academy, his debacle of a bachelor party, the day he'd found out he was going to be a father. He decided it was only right to toast this new moment in life the same way. "I don't suppose I would," he said, reaching for a glass from the stack of mismatched tumblers set out beside the bar.

Morgan uncapped the bottle, pouring three fingers of the aged spirits into Rick's glass, then topping off Daryl's and his own. When everyone had been served, he held his glass at eye level, and spoke. "To the future," he said, simply.

His mind darting back to the secret his wife concealed, the physical manifestations of which only he was privy to, Rick thought there was never a more appropriate salute given over a drink. He tipped his glass back, letting the familiar fire burn the back of his throat and smiled at his friends, blinking away the dampness that had attempted to pool in the corners of his eyes.

…

"Carl!"

Carl turned over his shoulder to see Carol hurrying toward him, Judith smiling from her spot on the woman's hip.

"Hey Carol," he said, briefly wondering why her mouth was turned up in a devilish grin. He looked hard at Judy, his first thought that she might have already done something both of them were going to regret, since he had been derelict in his watch for the last few minutes. He'd assumed she was fine for a short while being dragged around by Carol, but his face began to flush with a warm worry as the two approached, grinning mischievously. "What's up?"

"Judy told me something interesting," Carol said, her blue eyes narrowing on his.

Carl cleared his throat, his mind racing. Of all people to tell, Carol had to be the first? The woman couldn't hold water. "Um...yeah. It's not supposed to...she really shouldn't have…"

"What did she tell you?" Enid asked, interrupting him with a hand on his elbow.

"She says your mom and dad have a stash of homemade applesauce in the van for me?"

Carl breathed a sigh of relief, gathering his sister from Carol's arms and forcing a laugh. "Yeah...yup. Bunch of boxes of this canned stuff."

"Great!" Carol exclaimed. "Why don't you give me a hand real quick. We'll bring it in before the party really gets started. Maybe we'll even open a can now, what do you think, Judes?"

Carl looked at Judith, who was grinning from ear to ear at the thought of getting to eat some of the applesauce Rick and Michonne had specifically told her was reserved for the Kingdom. Then he turned to Enid, who was wearing her own smirk. In assuming Judy had already done it, he had almost spilled the very secret he was trying to get her to keep. "Yeah, ok. I'll be right there."

When Carol had headed off in the direction of the family vehicle, Carl turned to his co-conspirator. "You're on Judith patrol for a few minutes," he said to Enid. "Can you handle it?"

"Please," Enid said. "I've got this. Go haul in the groceries."

…

When Michonne finally found her husband, after touring the newly expanded garden and being elected the official taster of the new strain of tomatoes the Kingdom's farmers had cultivated, he was looking relaxed and happy. She spotted him with a drink in his hand and his head thrown back in laughter, as he stood in a circle, chatting with Maggie and Jesus. She approached him from behind, a his eyes startling, then melting into glimmering, blue pools of contentment when she placed her hand on his back and settled in beside him.

"You look gorgeous!" Maggie exclaimed, leaning over her own protruding belly to embrace her. Michonne glanced down at the younger woman's newly round form, her heart skipping a beat at the thought of her own midsection growing in the same way. Suddenly her trouble with her skinny jeans didn't seem as defeating.

"You're the gorgeous one," Michonne smiled, placing a palm on Maggie's belly and beaming. "It's been so long. You look like you're ready to pop."

"Food supplies are up," Maggie shrugged. "I've been making up for lost time."

Michonne chuckled at the joke, catching Rick's eye as she did and noticing the wistful smile he had on his face. She cut him a quick look to remind him to keep the evidence of their secret from spilling onto his expressive face, then turned to greet Jesus.

"It's great to see you two," he said, gesturing to the couple with a hand that held a glass of burgundy colored wine. "It really has been too long. How about a drink, Michonne? I know I can find something you'd like around here."

Michonne felt Rick's arm tighten around her waist as he began to stutter out an excuse for her, and she jumped in to interrupt his awkward response with her own more poised version. "I lost the coin toss on getting up early with Judy tomorrow," she said with a feigned pout. "It's Rick's night to have the fun."

Rick raised an eyebrow at her quick thinking, taking a sip from his glass. "I won fair and square," he shrugged, joining in on her lie.

Jesus and Maggie both eyed them skeptically, knowing that Rick was always the first to offer up whatever he had to Michonne, but the two seemed happy with the arrangement so they let it go.

A moment later, they heard the large doors of the Kingdom screech open and Jerry's booming laughter as he announced the arrival of new guests.

"You'll have to excuse us for a moment," Maggie said, her hand finding the inside of Jesus's arm. "We've got a few more room assignments to hash out before we can really settle in. I'll find you in little while." Maggie reached out to squeeze Michonne's hand and then the two Hilltop co-leaders wandered away to greet a few more of their community members.

"That was smooth," Rick said, when they had been left alone.

Michonne shrugged, her face dissolving into a frown. "We should have discussed a plan for that."

"You sold it," he said. He turned toward her, his hands coming to circle her waist and his head tipping languidly to the side. "How long's this thing gonna last, you think? I'm thinking we should sneak back to the room…"

"You have some more mingling to do first," she said with a grin. "Besides, it looks like you're enjoying yourself."

"I was when you were occupied, now you're back and I don't feel like sharin'"

"Few more hours," she said, starting to feel her defenses waning. Something about seeing Rick without the weight of the world settled on his shoulders had her thinking her own anti-social thoughts about escaping with him somewhere private.

Rick dropped his chin to her shoulder and his hands to her ass, as he sighed his agreement. "Alright," he said. "Let's go do this."

…

"My dad's drunk," Carl said. He had finished ferrying boxes filled with jars of applesauce to the Kingdom cafeteria and was now seated atop a brick wall, swinging his feet and enjoying the reward Carol had gifted him: a can of flat orange soda.

"How do you know?"

He handed the can to Enid and pointed across the courtyard to where his parents stood, glued to each other. They were standing in the middle of the dance floor, locked in a stationary embrace while the people around them at least attempted to move to the music. "He's smiling like an idiot," Carl snickered.

"What's drunk?" Judith asked from her spot on the grass in front of them. She had been quietly pouring invisible tea into a few red plastic cups that Carol had also conjured up from the back of the supply closet. She was pretending to serve Carl and Enid the beverages, along with the cookies she had been pretending to bake.

Enid rolled her eyes at Carl. "Forget you heard that, Judy, or your brother's gonna be in more trouble."

"What is drunk?" she repeated, this time standing from her job and placing her hands on her little hips to demand her answer.

"Who's drunk?"

Carl turned his head to see Rosita walking toward them with Tara at her side.

"My daddy," Judith said proudly, her little chest puffed out. Carl rolled his eyes at his sister's assumption that anything said about Rick was a gushing compliment. Though, he supposed his old man had earned that as of late.

"That was quick," Tara said, hopping up onto the wall beside Carl.

"Judith, this is one of those things we don't repeat, ok?"

Judy looked hard at her brother, her eyes narrowing to a squint that matched their dad's so perfectly all three of the women began to chuckle. "So daddy being drunk is family business too?" she asked Carl who could feel his heartbeat start to speed up as Tara and Rosita each raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Something like that," he said, jumping down and grabbing her hand. "Hey, I see Daryl. Why don't we go show him your new dress?"

Judy's scrutinizing look turned to excitement as she spotted her honorary uncle and took off running, while Carl tried to keep up.

…

"What's new, Little Asskicker?" Daryl asked, scooping Judy up as she ran full force and leapt from the ground.

Judith giggled at the nickname that was only to be used when her mom was outside of hearing range. Her dad let it slide most of the time, but mostly it was her and Uncle Daryl's secret, like a codename or a secret password. Come to think of it, she should add it to the list of secrets she was doing a wonderful job at keeping. She hadn't once repeated it in her parent's company.

She stored that example away for later use and got to work contemplating his question. "My dress is new," she offered. She pulled at the hem to show off the pretty red and white.

"Just like your mama," Daryl said with a chuckle. "Just as fancy as you are fierce." He tickled her sides and Judith beamed. She like the idea of being just like her mama.

Carl caught up to them then, greeting Daryl with a high-five. "Good party," he said, taking in the look on Daryl's face that matched his dad's; glassy-eyed and grinning more than he had in a long time. Maybe ever, when it came to Daryl.

"Not a bad way to spend the night I guess. Speaking of spending the night, where'd your parents head off to?"

Carl pointed to the spot where he had just seen them, ready to make a joke about his dad's ridiculous grin, when he realized they had disappeared. He shrugged, turning back to Daryl. "I don't know," he said. "Hey, think I can get one of those?" he gestured to the beer Daryl had in his hand and pressed his luck, given the fact that he was parentless for the moment.

Daryl shook his head and tipped the bottle back, finishing it in one sip. "Nice try."

"Carl, I want to show mommy that I didn't get any mud on my dress yet. Can we find her?"

"Alright, Judy," he sighed. "Come on, maybe I can get a break for a little while."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Bringing the heat in chapter three is the talented, multifaceted **Inkslinger21** , like her portmanteau implies, you better buckle up for her written rides because she takes a compelling narrative and slings it in ways we are never ready for but are so much more enriched for it.

Be sure to check out her other works on her fanfic page.

 **-We're The Ones Who Write**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

" **S** hhhh…"

Rick's torso twisted as he turned to her and pressed a finger to his lips. He led the way down the candle lit hallway, pulling her along by the hand. His usually bow-legged stride, knees aimed outward and shins slanted in, was emboldened with an extra spoonful of cockiness.

Michonne liked to think it was the whiskey. The fiery liquid had lowered Rick's guard and loosened his inhibitions. If she was honest, she liked him this way. The man she loved was finally afforded the chance to let go and relax. The mere reality of such a luxury made her own heart drum with elation.

It also stirred her innermost siren from her deep pregnancy-induced slumber. The seductive goddess in her that not only wielded the power to bring Rick to his knees but craved to have him make her his in every way, every position imaginable, over and over again. Her insides fluttered out of anticipation, in excitement, as the familiar ache in her core made its presence known in rhythmically mounting throbs.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt genuinely, irrefutably _sexy_. Four months of pregnancy, belly growing and clothes tightening, had left her feeling less sexual than she liked to admit. The topsy-turvy hormones which wreaked havoc on her minute-to-minute were an added derailment. Though Rick never missed a beat letting it be known how intensely she aroused him, she couldn't help letting pregnancy brain cloud her thoughts and induce second guesses.

Following him down the hall, straight for their luxurious, almost resort-style bedroom, thrilled her into breathlessness. She played into Rick's tipsiness with coquettish giggles, drunk in her own way, off the sudden wild abandon her fickle hormones doused her with, off Rick Grimes himself.

They passed a couple nameless stragglers along the way. A ginger man with a jagged scar on his cheek and after that an older woman with a cane. Rick tried to play off his drunken state in an overly obvious attempt to make conversation with both, all the while tugging her along with him as he grinned. Michonne caught the gaze of the old lady and she was almost certain she'd seen a soured, lip-pursed, eyes-thinned, _knowing_ nod of disapproval.

The passing condemnation only made them erupt into laughter. Rick pushed the door open and roped her inside with his hand and then an impassioned kiss. He hardly waited for the door to close before he'd pulled her flush against him. His hands started with a brush of her locs behind either ear, traveled down, along her cheeks to her neck, drifting again over the soft, heavy mounds that were her breasts.

Acutely sensitive thanks to the baby growing inside of her, her breasts were immediate with their response to his calloused, firm hands. Moan one, of what she guessed would be many to follow, escaped her as she reveled in his thumbs rolling over her thick nipples. They'd grown in size by a cup and a half already, and Rick made little effort to hide how appreciative he was of their newly realized state. He sneakily crept his hand to her neck and undid the ties to her dress.

Michonne's breasts sprang free and Rick's waiting hands kneaded them in a much-needed massage. The fabric no longer posed as a barrier between the pads of his fingers and the soft fullness in his grasp.

Moan number two came openly. Against his lips in another tongue-heavy kiss while Rick walked her backward toward the bed. Her panties were already a mess, puddled with tell-tale signs of her arousal. The back of her knees touched the edge of the bed and he eased her down with a hand to her shoulder, wordlessly telling her where he wanted her. She obeyed, shimmying along the bed until she was propped up on her elbows and he was kneeled between her bent legs.

The movement caused her red dress, dappled with white daisies top to bottom, to fall away from her. The flared skirt had slipped high along the silky dark curve of her thighs. For Rick, this was absolutely opportune, as he pushed the dress up further until it was nothing more than material bunched at her waist. Not only was her breath held hostage in her chest but her eyes were stuck on his as he very slowly, very agonizingly peeled her panties from her skin.

Pussy freed and ripe for his viewing pleasure, she was in overdrive. Her entire body was a living, breathing instrument of arousal, from her pert nipples to the tingles alive on her skin, ending in the pulse between her legs. What she'd considered insanely fast beats proved to be amateur, as looking up at Rick, knees parted and legs wide, she felt the intensity of her pussy's ache maximize that much further.

"I've been waiting to taste you all night," Rick said in his husky drawl. He ran a finger down her plump lips then added a second to part them, revealing the shiny slickness gathered. His thumb grazed her neglected, attention-starved clit and she both moaned and twisted under him. A second glide over the nub brought her to inhale sharply, opening her lidded eyes to beg him with a wanton hum of her throat. "What do you want, baby?" he asked. Slowly, a finger entered her and she swiveled her hips and bit her lip as he leaned over and kissed her neck. "Tell me what you want," he ordered.

She swallowed hard, fighting hard for the capability to speak. She muttered, "you—I want you…"

"You want me to… _what_?"

His thumb rubbed steady circles on her ever-swelling clit.

"Y-You," she breathed. No longer did she hold back on her squirming, moaning responses to his teases. She fought through the fog of her arousal to direct, saying, "I want you to fuck me."

"You sure that's what you want?"

A second finger sunk inside her waiting warmth, quickly greeted in a squeeze by her tight walls.

"Yesss!"

"Mmm…can't say no when you're so fucking wet." He adorned the length of her throat with kisses, all the while working his fingers inside her.

While she'd trade his digits for his cock pumping inside her any day, they sufficed for the time being as she bit down hard on her bottom lip and allowed her knees to fall even further by the wayside, as if he didn't have enough access already. Her stomach dropped abruptly when his fingers withdrew and emptiness swooped in. Her eyes popped open in worry, afraid she'd never reach the climax she so desperately sought.

Her fears were promptly quelled, as Rick came down onto her splayed pink pussy with his mouth. His soft lips and persistent tongue magicked their way into her good graces, laving at her engorged nub and dipping inside to taste her with utmost eagerness and greed. Her chest began to rise and fall, building toward the release which consumed every nerve in her body. Fingers grasping a handful of his wavy curls and neck craned backward into the mattress, she rotated her hips and ground her pussy into his face.

"Ohhhh!" she mewled. "Yessss, Rick! Like that…ohh, fuck…"

She was close. So, _so_ close to…

Rick's tongue, which had plunged deep and laved admirably, disappeared. His strumming digits too. Her senses exploded in horror, eyes wide and ears loud with her panicked heartbeat. She sat up immediately, again on her elbows, and searched for the vexing source denying her her orgasm. She expected something extreme. An abrupt attack on the Kingdom by rogue Saviors. A medical emergency with one of the kids. Hell, walkers overrunning the community's walls. _Something_.

Instead, what she found was the blue-eyed, cocky-grinned man she loved, watching her from on his knees. He'd stopped of his own volition. He'd pressed pause just as she was inching toward a climax. The cruelty left her puzzled, as she glared at him as if he'd committed an absolute cardinal sin. In her eyes, at the moment, still under traces of lust, he had.

"We should get back to the party," he said.

" _What_?!"

"The party," he said. His tipsiness only became apparent again when he stood.

"No," she said, sitting up completely. "Let's finish—"

"—few more hours, remember?" he asked in a grin.

Her eyes narrowed, her pussy still begging for more. She said, "are you serious? No one knows we're gone."

Rick readjusted his button down and his belt, lastly going for the small fold of material next to her spread legs.

"You don't need these anymore," he said, holding up her lavender panties. The delicate fabric was like a treasurable souvenir to him. He brought the delicate fabric to his nose for an inhale of her natural, heady, all too familiar arousal. Then he slipped them down the front pocket of his jeans, eyes shamelessly on her as he did.

" _Rick_!"

His grin widened, emblazoned with arrogance. "You'll get 'em back when I'm done with you."

A thousand questions ran through her mind. Most prominently? She wanted to scream out a frantic, horrified, "when the hell will that be?", but she resisted. He was enjoying torturing her a little too much. She bit back the urge and slowly brought her knees together.

"This is to be continued," he promised with a lone wink.

Rick turned and the clack of his boots replaced earlier moans as he left her to her own devices in the bedroom.

Michonne lifted her hips and straightened the skirt of her dress.

She knew what she had to do.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The night's air snuck under her dress causing her pussy to tingle. The sensation was a constant reminder of her earlier shenanigans with Rick.

She'd returned to the party outside, but only after she collected herself in the privacy of their bedroom. Rick had gotten her so deliriously aroused, she'd embraced the belly she'd previously tried to hide. On that bed as Rick feasted on her, she'd abandoned any misgivings for the natural pleasure he evoked out of her.

Jesus popped up again to offer her a drink she declined. She didn't bother offering an excuse this time, as her focus was lasered onto no one but Rick. He was off on the sidelines, immersed in conversation with Ezekiel and Carol. She watched them silently, stalking up to them like a predator does its prey.

That's how she felt. A dangerous feline slinking upon its catch with utmost intent and concentration. Her curvaceous body, which filled out the bodice of the red sundress in all the right places, flowed with every movement she made. Sensuality ebbed through her being, in-tune with her for the first time in weeks, as she strutted across the dance floor with a level of confidence that parted the crowd without words.

Out of the scores of people surrounding her, Rick's eyes picked her out of the crowd. The piercing blue irises fell onto her and his right hand slipped into his jean pocket. The secret trophy harbored within was knowledge only they were privy to. Her thighs rubbed together in slickness as her stride exuded a magnetism he was easily drawn to. She stopped an inch away from him, her breasts nearly touching his chest as a few looked on curiously.

"Ten minutes," she said. "The garden. Find me."

Rick's head had gone into a tilt by the time she finished. He'd forgotten about the whiskey glass in his free hand, the other stuck in his pocket, where his index finger and thumb rubbed against the damp pair of panties. He watched her strut off without a look back and red streaks quickly stippled his neck. Even worse, when he glanced down, he saw the obvious growth in his jeans. He cleared his throat and looked up to find both Ezekiel and Carol staring at him with matching cocked brows.

"Am I correct in suspecting you have somewhere to be, Rick Grimes?" the Kingdom's leader asked in a voice tinged with amusement. There was a knowing glint in his brown eyes. "Well, if you have places to be, by all means…"

Rick's rigid dick straining for freedom hardly gave way for logical thought, let alone a proper verbal response. He merely nodded and brought his glass to his lips to drain the last few gulps of whiskey. His usually bright eyes darkened into a stormy blue. Basic, primal instincts burned through his veins, compelling his legs to move forth, seek out his woman and lay it down, claiming her irrefutably forever.

He already had.

Michonne's body was changing by the day, flourishing beautifully with his child inside. That thought alone awakened an animalistic impulse, as blood rushed to his balls and pressure renewed more devoutly than ever. Time to finish what they'd started earlier.

Ezekiel opened his mouth to speak, changing topics, but Rick didn't hear a word. Zoned out, enthralled by the idea of Michonne and only Michonne, he shoved the empty glass into his chest. The community leader seemed to understand as he smirked, watching Rick's brisk gait across the party's terrain. People moved out of his way last second, looking puzzled, too intimidated and scandalized to question his destination.

"Dad, where's Michonne?" Carl asked. He'd spotted his dad walking out of the party's main courtyard, hoping as he posed the question he'd distract from the earlier close-calls with Judith and the secret.

"On my way to go get her," Rick replied vaguely. He glanced at his son. "Keep an eye on your baby sister."

"Right," said Carl, nodding. In his head he configured how many hours of the party were left. "Got it. You don't have to worry—Enid and I are watching Judes. Nobody's going to find out."

By the time Carl's last word was spoken into existence, Rick was already halfway out the courtyard. He tossed up a hand in mingled acknowledgement and goodbye, too determined to make the ten minutes before time ran out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The garden was a vast array of flowers meticulously planted and cultivated from the beginning of the apocalypse. The greenery surrounded him as soon as he set foot within the quarter. Giant fruit trees, stone benches and an intricately carved fountain completed the garden's Zen appeal. He crossed through the blooming color with a swiveling head, searching every which way for her amongst the occasional passerby.

Like a dog, sight failing him, he resorted to his sense of smell. He inhaled the summer night's air in hopes he'd pick up traces of her divine, coconut-infused scent.

"Michonne," he called. Ears perked, he turned at the slightest noise. "Where are you?"

Soon he trespassed over a roped-off part of the garden. The cordoned patch of land was a work-in-progress, proclaimed by King Ezekiel as a memorial to honor those fallen dead at the hands of the Saviors. He paid no mind to wandering into the forbidden territory if it meant he was even one step closer to finding Michonne.

A faint note of coconut dawdling in the air was enough to make him go haywire. His pulse beat erratically in his heart, echoing in his ears, as below his dick fought against its cloth restraints with a twitch. He lost the battle to keep the famished hunger from his face. Lids lowering in unabashed lust, his eyes darted in all directions. He was pushing his way through more leafy greens when he rounded another tree and stopped in his tracks.

 _There_ she was.

In a world where nothing made sense without her, everything clicked into place the instant his hungry eyes found her. She appeared to him as she always did, when he needed her most.

Michonne sat quite blasé on the bench, the full skirt to her sundress canopied around the stone. His loving, wonderous wife lounged under the bluish black sky and speckled stars as if she had the entire night to waste away. Even without sunlight, with only a quarter-moon offering pale beams, she glowed radiantly.

He didn't know where to look first, as his eyes started with her pretty painted toes peeking out from her wedges then traveled up her toned calves and past the small curvature of her otherwise tiny waistline, where inside her belly their baby rested. Next his gaze made it to her bosom. Her larger, fuller breasts were teases, asking for him to take in his hands, for him to take into his mouth for suckling. Up the smooth arc that was her neck, he made it to her lovely face. Her eyes were on him, waiting for his gaze to catch up, and when it finally did, she gifted him a flirty smirk.

God, she was fucking beautiful. Always. On the battlefield wielding a deadly katana, slaying walkers and Saviors alike. In the comfort of their home, rocking Judith to sleep or giving Carl sage advice. During the throes of their toe-curling, earth-shattering, passionate lovemaking.

His mouth watered as the thousand different ways he wanted to taste, tease, touch— _fuck_ — her sifted through his mind.

Screw the whiskey. He was drunk off Michonne.

Rick broke out into his stride again. She bit down on her lip and her shoulders squared, her posture a little straighter, her breasts thrust outward a little bit more. The closer he drew, the wider her smirk as she coolly waited for him to claim her as his prize.

"Down to sixty seconds," she said. "Cutting it close, Grimes."

"Yeah," he replied, "figured if you ever want your panties back, we ought to finish what we started."

His large hands seized hers, guiding her to a stand, and then he took her by the waist as he kissed her. Immediately, her fingers sought his nape, where they curled into the familiar fluff that was his wavy hair. He loved her fingers there, on the back of his neck, stuck in his hair, and he loved it even more when they ended in the bulk of his curls. Her fingertips gliding over his scalp was subtle yet sensual, a surefire trick to drive him crazy.

And she did.

A groan first rumbled in his chest then his throat, out his mouth and into hers at the same time his tongue poked out and greeted her own. Her reply was a mewl, spoken when his hands roamed up her ribcage for a kneaded handful of her tender breasts. There, his calloused hands worked her impossibly soft mounds in slow circles, accompanied with the occasional roll of his thumb over her perky nipples. She quaked under his touch while also tightening her grip on his curls in a pleasingly firm hold.

They'd eased their way across the pavement without a break. Hands roaming and mouths busied, they strayed away from the bench Michonne had so recently lounged on. Between lush plants they blindly found a small nook, hardly separating as Michonne's back came up against a wall. It must've been to one of the Kingdom's buildings.

Neither cared to pry apart and take a look.

Michonne had set her target on Rick's lower half. His hard length could be felt through his jeans, and she'd decided it was up to her to liberate the poor, neglected cock and show it some love and adoration. Her expertise was unapparelled as no buckle, button or zipper in the world was about to stop her from freeing his cock. His member sprang free at last for her to stroke, dripping with precum she wished to drop to her knees and take onto her tongue.

But Rick was a man on his own mission. Set off by the mere trace of her touch, his lean muscled body tensed when her hand ran the length of his cock. His already stirred primality intensified as his need to be deep inside her reached brand new heights. She stroked him and he growled, pinning her against the wall and grabbing her by the thigh to bring her leg around his waist. Her dress readily fell away, bunching again as he lifted her off her feet.

For once he was grateful in his lusty stupor as he sucked greedily on her neck, that he'd thought ahead. He'd had the insight to divest her of her panties back in their bedroom, which in turn granted him immediate access to her heavenly pussy. Michonne simply slung her arms over his shoulders to hold on for dear life, so wet her arousal leaked not just between her thighs but onto him too.

Rick entered her tight, velvety warmth in the next second. Their whimpers were shared, mouths opened, air stolen from their lungs as their chests heaved and bodies froze in place to savor that initial moment of their bodies joining as one. Michonne found the strength, tautly filled by him even on entry, to clutch his scruffy, lightly grayed beard and kiss him with heavy tongue.

He steadied his hold on her, careful to keep her impregnated form within his grasp, as he withdrew entirely then thrust into her again, only deeper. She nibbled on his lip when he did, distracting herself from doing what she really wanted, which was to scream. His thrusts to follow left her caught between a pleasurable build toward euphoria and a frenzy desperation to let loose and drown out the sloppy, wet smacking of their skin and the distant celebratory music with a tune of her own. A wild, unfiltered scream of pure sexual bliss.

Sweat collected in beads on their flesh, dampening the odd bits of clothing which remained. Rick reveled in the messiness of it all. The way she was against the wall with her head turned sideways and eyes squeezed shut, dress bundled at her waist. The way he covered her with his own larger frame, donning nothing but his button down as his jeans pooled at his ankles, and his cock plunged into her still deeper. The way over their breathy pants and tremored moans and squelching sex he could make out the sounds of the party. Some laughter and chatter and footsteps.

The naughty thought they could get caught at any moment was a surprising turn on for them both.

"You feel so damn good…" Rick grunted on a particularly hard thrust. "Sooo…fucking… _perfect_."

"Mmm…yeahhh…harder," she breathed. Hand on the back of his neck again and the heel of her foot, legs entangled around him, pressed into his ass as if to spur his thrusts onward.

Rick obliged to which Michonne eagerly met his new tempo with an appreciative clench about his cock. His thumb came between them and he rubbed the little pretty nub that was her clit. She careened toward her brink, tighter and wetter than ever, writhing against the wall even before her orgasm hit. When it did, electric jolts shot throughout every inch of her body, she no longer held back.

Stunned into delirious pleasure, Michonne couldn't help herself. Loud as her body racked, "FUCKKK!" entered the night air as her pearly cum covered his cock.

Rick almost grinned, but instead decided to silence her with a kiss. His own thrusts had grown erratic and uncalculated, animalistic as he bucked against her harder, more urgent, on the very edge to an explosive spill within her already sopping pussy. The wetter she was the more his length seemed to twitch in temptation, ready to add more creamy sloppiness to the mix.

Finally, he gave in with a loud and strangled scream of his own. It was fortunate that her pregnancy meant he no longer had to worry about his pull-out strategy, particularly considering he didn't have one when it came to Michonne. Try as he might, as soon as he was buried within her, he conveniently developed amnesia and busted inside more times than they'd planned for.

The aftermath of their secret tryst in the Kingdom garden was slow-moving. Rick let go of Michonne's thighs and she stood upright again, though still against the wall. He helped fix her skirt and straighten her bodice. She giggled as her eyes lowered to his jeans and boxers at his ankles. Skin splotchy red, he drew both up to his waist and fastened his belt. His hand stretched to cup her cheek as he marveled at the beauty of her, flushed and pretty under the soft outdoor lights littered throughout the garden.

"You think anyone heard?" she asked, swathing both arms over his shoulders.

He shrugged, kissed her, and said, "who cares if they did? We're celebrating."

"Right…in our own way," she said, smirking. She twirled a finger in one of his curls and watched it bounce when she let it go. "Besides, I like you this way."

"This way?"

"Yeah, tipsy," she said. "Maybe even a little drunk. Walking around here like you own the place—laying it down, fucking me delirious."

"Hey, I'm not drunk," he answered, though he returned a grin. "Alright…maybe a little. But I'm ready to leave that party if it means we're going for round two…"

"Don't you mean round _three_? I haven't forgotten what you did to me in the bedroom," she said. Her scolding didn't last long, however, as she quickly gave in to a snicker and kiss to the corner of his mouth then chin. "Besides, we have all night to enjoy ourselves. What's the rush?"

Rick nodded as her question prompted a realization out of him. Contemplative even in his inebriated state, their victory truly sunk in. While they would always live with the walking dead looming as a threat, and perhaps other survivor groups as well, they were no longer embroiled in a consuming fight for their lives. The war was over and tonight was _indeed_ a time of celebration.

That's when his mind drifted to the secret growing inside of Michonne. Their own private celebratory bundle of joy. His hand curved over her belly with utmost admiration and appreciation, and when his blue eyes looked up into hers, she saw nothing less than absolute love embellished in them.

"Oh, Rick…" she sighed softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** We can't think of a better person to close out this sweet tale. **Sophiasown** is the 'cherry on top,' with her knack for expertly mining the inner workings of these characters we know and love

Be sure to check out her other works on her fanfic page

 **-We're The Ones Who Write**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"Heard they were looking for us?" Michonne whispered to Maggie as she and Rick returned to the festivities satiated and pleased with themselves that their late afternoon tryst in the Kingdom's garden went off undetected. Michonne was hopeful now there would be more memories than ghosts growing among the orchids.

"Yeah where did you two go?" Maggie asked, her emerald eyes betraying her naivete on the reason for Rick and Michonne's abrupt disappearance. Their roles were too important to all three communities for the presence not to be missed.

"Umm we had some _thangs_ to attend to," Rick said, a finger reaching up to rub his relaxed eyebrows.

"Well Ezekiel is looking for you. He wants you to be there for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Then there's the play and he wants dinner to start promptly after."

The leader of the Kingdom craved order and on a day like today; a day that was dedicated to jubilation he was leaving nothing up to chance.

"He's really goin' the whole nine years with this whole broadway production ain't he?"

Rick turned to Michonne and she saw the amusement for Ezekiel's theatrics oozing off his stubbled face. As much as the two leaders, who couldn't be more different than night and day were friends, Ezekiel's flare for the dramatics always left Rick more concerned than charmed.

She laid a calm hand on his forearm, the sunlight in the courtyard bounced off the brown hairs that dotted his muscled arms persuading her to remain distracted by the strength she knew he held.

She had seen Rick murder men with those hands and he was a brutal force to be reckoned with when he was making examples of men who dared to threaten those he loved. She had also seen those same arms lift Judith way up in the air and fly her as high as they could go making her giggle as loud as Rick's boisterous laughter. Those hands morphed him from ferocious to father and now that they had a chance to catch their breaths, she knew which side she wanted around more.

Rick earned the extended vacation peace had brought to their communities, to their lives. They had a chance to rebuild now with feasible measures of turning barely surviving to sustainable living.

Carl said he wanted to bring back lazy Saturdays, birthday parties, spaghetti Wednesdays on a Tuesday and Friday night pizza. Carl, like his father knew the future in front of them was a tangible one.

It was why the baby she carried was so paramount to their family. This child that grew under her heart was a part of a promising future and she looked forward to he or she becoming part of the Grimes' unit.

"You should go before he comes lookin' for you again," Maggie encouraged, admiring the way Rick couldn't take his eyes off his wife. He too had a glow and it wasn't from the sun.

"Maggie's right. Go. Be nice!" Michonne's tone held caution in it knowing that the king's taste for the theatrics easily agitated Rick as much as he genuinely liked Ezekiel. Rick's blood was always a little too close to his skin, even more so when he was inebriated.

"I will. You be um..be careful."

He kissed her cheek leaving her and Maggie in wake of his awkward departure.

"Be careful? What are you two up to?" Maggie's curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Oh great! There you two are. We're finally together!" Rosita, Tara, Enid and the new addition to their clan, Dianne, joined Maggie and Michonne under the constructed tent, relieving her from answering her best friend's question.

"What's going on here?" She was happy to see her friends all in one place. It was a welcome change seeing them in casual clothes and not the usual combat gear they lived in when everyday life had been a threat because of the saviors. Now her girls' wore dresses and jeans, giving them a taste of the old world, it was such a good feeling.

"We wanted to gather everyone before the real festivities started and we all got lost in the crowd."

"For…" Maggie prodded.

"To make a toast chica." Rosita lifted a bottle of wine for everyone to witness its sealed goodness. Enid had fetched the elaborate wine glasses from the lavish kitchen in the Kingdom.

She too was excited because drinking wine from a wine glass with the women who she had grown to love and respect surely made her one of them.

Before Maggie could protest her current no drinking dilemma, Tara lifted some crafted grape juice Nebilla had slipped her before boasting she had constructed the trellis herself as she trained the grapes to grow upwards ensuring their survival.

"Don't worry, I got you kid." They had begun to pour the wine in the fancy, long stemmed glasses and divided it among them. Michonne grew nervous thinking of another way to deflect the attention from herself when she refused the wine, again. She could take it and just pretend to sip but everyone would notice if the liquid stayed at the same level.

"You guys saw my intoxicated husband right? Somebody has to drive us home and I don't trust Carl's driving in the dark so unfortunately it's gotta be me."

She hoped the lie worked. She had used her most convincing voice as she scrutinized the faces of the women who knew her well enough.

"C'mon Mags I'll drink the grape juice with you." She took the bottle from Tara and filled a glass with the deep purple liquid for herself.

"Mmmmmm okay!" Tara shrugged and turned to wave Carol in their direction, she was the last to join the group.

"Could we do this quickly? Henry has to sing and he said he can't do it without me and I promised him I'd be there." Henry had been Carol's own reset button from her trip to solitude, having lost her child at the beginning of this hellish nightmare.

They had thought Henry dead and gone; collateral damage in an all out war between the Saviors and Alexandria, the Hilltop and the Kingdom. She and Morgan had gone on an active manhunt to find him, believing in her heart that the few pieces of advice she had given him had kept him alive and he wasn't unprotected in the elements.

When Henry had been found, Carol and Ezekiel were so grateful he was alive that their spontaneously formed surrogate family tightened all the more, helping to heal the hurting little boy and maybe a little of themselves too.

Everybody had lost someone or something important to them but everybody also had a reason to give thanks for someone or something they gained at the end of the world.

For her it was Rick; the love of her life. It was Carl and Judith; the children she bore in her heart. It was this baby that had already enriched their lives.

"What are we toasting to exactly?" Maggie asked, the smell of the rich grape juice was making her mouth water.

"Life and the fact that we survived," Dianne started the round robin speech.

"To bringing back a taste of the old world. Hopefully spa days can be a thing again," Rosita said, looking glamorous in her gold hoop earrings.

"Oh God, what I wouldn't give for a massage or a body scrub." Michonne moaned at the thought of the tranquil experience of being pampered by a professional. What she wouldn't give to have that again.

"Umm Chonne you have a masseuse! Don't tell me Rick Grimes - Mr. Perfect - doesn't rub your feet." Rosita's expressive face looking appalled at her contemplation. "I would give anything to have that again in my life!"

Michonne shrugged in surrender, he did rub her feet _but_ he hadn't been _Mr. Perfect_ an hour ago when he was teasing her to mere inches of her pleasurable life; bringing her to the brink of delirium and leaving her there to dangle in a most insatiable manner.

"You could have that if you gave Daryl a chance." Maggie's tone was soft but in it held so much conviction in what she released into the atmosphere.

"Daryl!?" Carol and Tara said in unison, their expressions of shock matching their intonation.

"Did I miss something here?"

"Cat got your tongue Rosita? Or should I tell the girls what you've been hiding?" Maggie's eyes were shining with mischievous deviousness.

"There isn't anything to tell, we had one drunk kiss a few weeks ago," Rosita confessed, in the spirit of sisterhood. Besides, she had long known things weren't kept a secret for long in this group.

"I think I need to lie down," Tara said with feigned dramatics. Rosita slapped her arm in play, laughing at the fact that she may be falling for the grungiest guy in the Apocalypse.

"Hey Chill alright! No one wants to be alone at the end of the world. My bed is cold at night." Rosita had also loved and lost, making her outlook on life bitter before allowing it to make her better.

"You are practically Zombie Apocalypse Barbie! You could have any man you want and you choose Daryl Dixon!?" Tara's cadence grew higher in pitch the more words left her tongue.

"We've been through a lot together, we grew close."

"Daryl is a good man and if I had to choose someone for him to be with, I'd pick you Rosita." Knowing she had Carol's blessing gave her peace with what she was feeling for the vest wearing, squirrel loving, arrow toting Daryl.

"So Maggie isn't the only one who's gonna be having babies?" Enid threw out.

Michonne swallowed greedily, afraid her facial expression would give away that she also had a bun in the oven, but she couldn't betray _family business_ , even among confidants.

"Well, somebody has to repopulate the world if we're trying to have a future here."

"Let's drink to that before Henry comes to get me. To future babies, to life and love and peace to last us all another lifetime." Carol raised her glass first and the others followed.

The clinking of glasses were heard over their cheers and agreements in Carol's fitting toast. They couldn't have said it better themselves.

"We should grab seats while they're still available," Dianne said, walking off with Carol to assist in any last minute preparations. It would be dark soon and there were a few things still to be done.

Carl and Judith came in search of Michonne as everyone walked off on their own missions with promises to catch up later.

"Dad said you should take a seat, things are 'bout to start. You too Mags," Carl said, hearing his father grumble to himself that pregnant women shouldn't be on their feet for long periods of time.

"Mommy, Daddy said he's going to give a speech. Can I give a speech too? Like when I do it at home?" Judith's cute round face made it difficult to say no to her, but they couldn't risk any accidents today.

"No sweetie this one's for Daddy alone. okay?" Her sweet lips weren't to be trusted in public right now. As much as she knew she wasn't supposed to talk about the baby, excitement could over power secrecy and in under a minute, everybody would know the Grimes' family were expecting.

She would leave the speech giving to Rick and hope his loose lips wouldn't fail him when he took center stage. In a few weeks, they would find a fun way to announce to their family and friends they were going to have an addition to their clan.

Given the way her midsection had started to expand at a rapid rate, a few weeks could quickly turn into a few days. There were too many mothers and women around for people to not start questioning the obvious tightness of her clothes. She was grateful to Rick for selecting the beautiful dress she wore, red was one of her favorite colors and it hid her baby bump in a neat fashion. She was certain nobody suspected a thing. Not even Maggie.

The successful yet short play had been about a boy who conquered walkers with his bravery and his pet tiger, delivering a message of courage and hope that echoed in everyone's heart even after the play was over. They had dispersed to their own table settings for the feast that was dinner.

The lanterns were being lit around each table, setting a low light ambience that still didn't take away from the beauty of the changing evening sky. Daryl and Aaron were ferrying wood for the two large fires that were blazing in the background.

"You ready to give your speech Mr. President?" Michonne teased, knowing how much he hated the acclamations everyone gave him but there was a playfulness in his eyes and it had been there since their intense lovemaking in the garden.

He leaned into her, she was flanking his right side which was always the perfect spot for her to take. "You gonna hail the chief later darlin'?"

It was only his southern voice in her ear but her feminine juices had already dripped into her panties.

"Anything you want but let's get through dinner first."

Rick was captivated by her everytime words left her lips. How could he not love her?

He kept reminding her he was no speech giver and she always told him the same thing over and over; his empowering executions was what made them believe they could win a war in the first place and the motivation was always needed.

The other two neighboring tables were laughing and already in heavy conversation. He looked at the folks around his table, he was about to put together yet another string of words that came from his heart in front of those he considered his new family and their expectant expressions gave him confidence to believe he was a speech giver after all. Michonne, like with most things was right.

"Here we are. Another gathering. Another speech, but I'm not here today to rally troops for a war. I was right when I said it the first time; the world is ours by right. We took it back so now It's time we enjoy the fruits of our labor. We kept our faith in each other and now we have food and homes and so much more to come. Those things are important but I've learnt that it's not what I have in my life but _who_ I have in my life that counts."

He looked at Michonne, Carl and Judith who were fully engaged in his articulation, for a minute he forgot to breathe from sheer, overwhelming happiness, from excitement as he counted his blessings and the blessings on the way.

"And what I have are _four_ of the greatest gifts that I could've ever asked for and I give thanks for them every day."

Judith's head shot up like a mole popping up from the ground at her father's blunder.

Michonne's head caught in her hand after Rick inadvertently let loose their secret.

"Umm…"

"Mommy! Daddy spilled the beans about the baby!" If the entire table didn't know what had previously happened Judith's outburst cleared it all up for them.

Judith's arms were folded in a public display of her disappointment in her father. She really wanted to be the one to tell everybody she was getting a new baby brother or sister soon.

"So that's why you couldn't drink the wine!" Tara exclaimed from the end of the table.

"Daryl pay up. You owe us some deer meat from your next kill." Aaron rubbed his two hands together in triumph.

"Wait! You guys knew?" Michonne said brushing the long brown strands of Judith's hair in an effort to calm her.

"Course I knew!" Daryl shrugged, his demeanor nonchalant as though they were discussing the predictability of the weather.

"How?" Rick was still in disbelief he had been the unlucky one to out them. They were so concerned about Judith he didn't even consider his loose lips could be the real public enemy number one.

"You don't ever leave Chonne's side no mo'," Daryl grumbled, his voice raised only a tad even though he was seated at the opposite end of the rectangular table.

"That's nothing new!" Aaron responded allowing his inside thoughts to slip passed his pushy lips.

"He's taken almost all of her guard shifts with a silly ass grin on his face and when he couldn't he practically bargained with you to take it. I mean how many headaches Michonne is gonna have in a month?"

Daryl had stored all pertinent information to memory for the opportune time. He watched his brother who was certainly deserving of all the goodness that graced his life and Rick saw a gradual grin below his grumble.

"Not to mention she avoided wine like the plague tonight." Rosita chimed in, it was clear they had been in cahoots with their well decorated espionage.

Rick finally pulled together the courage to look at his wife who despite the slip of his tongue was smiling sweetly at him.

"I'm sorry babe." He shrugged, soberness repossessing his composure.

Michonne pointed at Judith who was sulking in her lap at Rick's baby slip. Her hands were crossed, her adorable cheeks were held tight in a determined scowl that let her parents know how upset she was over the untimely spillage over the debacle of the Grimes Family Business.

Rick took in his mini beauty Queen and allowed his thoughts free pass as they rushed down the highway of his mind for a fitting remuneration, one that would turn Judy's frown upside down and return her smile to its rightful place.

Among the busy chatter the advertisement of their _baby not so surprise_ brought, Rick called Judith's name with enough of a delicate tone to pull her out of her pensive state.

"Yes Daddy." She looked up at him, her doe like eyes encouraging him to silently promise she'd never have to experience hurt or pain in this life but what she needed right now was leverage and he was about to give it to her.

"Not everyone heard me when I slipped about the baby, do you want to tell them now?"

He had already gotten subliminal approval from his pregnant wife. They never needed much words between them to speak, even right at the start and it was one of the things he would always cherish about their relationship. He grabbed the rest of the table's attention to be accommodating to Judith's pending announcement.

"Yesss! I wanted to all day! Carl I really tried." She said to her brother whose hair looked longer and darker without his hat. Rick gave her her moment with a sweep of his hand. Carl took her in his arms, she was too short to stand on the ground and too heavy to stand on Michonne's lap.

"Everybody! We're going to have a baby!" She was thrilled at the prospect of having a sibling and she rubbed her hands together in great emphasis. "The baby is in mommy's tummy!" She said pointing to Michonne in case anyone needed physical evidence of what was happening.

"I didn't know where babies come from but Carl said when Daddy -"

"Ok Judes! I think everybody heard the news! Give it up everybody!" Carl said starting the all around clapping, he would've been mortified if Judith continued her infomercial on the how-to-do about babies, especially the watered down version he gave and Judith's comprehension of it.

Rick was proud of his kid, she was back to her usual smiles, everyone was congratulating his baby girl and she was on top her throne again.

While Rick was basking in Judith's hearty smile Michonne was taking pleasure in Rick's smile and thinking she'd do anything to keep it there forever.

… **.**

Yet another glass of wine was traveling around the table in celebration of the big news, Rick appreciated the bounty remembering at one point desperation for food and sustenance had forced them to kill and eat rabid dogs and if rain hadn't come that day they may have died of dehydration.

Seeing his people like this, overjoyed at the prospect of wine paired with warm garlic bread, a healthy serving of spaghetti and meatballs complete with a garden salad made from their very own vegetable gardens made the term eat, drink and be merry potent in its sentiment.

It was almost like he was watching those he loved in slow motion but when he got to the _four best things_ in his life time stood still; Carl was becoming a man with every day that passed and he could only trust and hope that all the values he held so strongly to separated him from the rest and allowed him to grow exponentially in this world and become the leader he knew his son could be.

Judith, still wearing his old sheriff's hat was debating with her mother on the importance of tomatoes. It was no secret she wasn't a fan but they had a plethora of choice now in terms of food so he knew Michonne wouldn't give her much grief about it.

Under Michonne's tutelage he knew Judith would be a bright, well prepared girl for this life and he couldn't wait to see the many ways she was going to beat this world.

Michonne was where he always landed, even when he was crashing and burning she always had a comfortable hand or rock to save him with. He didn't know what he would do without her. She was the love of his love and he hoped this was the forever kind because he planned to love her in the after life too. She made the pieces of this crazy world snap together for him and there was no way he could diminish the flame that burned so brightly for her.

He discovered they were all waiting on him to give the go ahead to dive into their food, he shook himself out of his own reflections and paid attention to the grumbling and complaining at not being able to dive into their lavish meal.

They were a rowdy, disheveled crew but they were his family. They fought many times together side by side, keeping guard at each other's back and he would always be grateful that he didn't lose _everything_ after all.

He held hands with Michonne who had grown even more beautiful in the ten seconds he took his eyes off of her and eyed the rest of his family, "Well what are you waiting on? Let's eat!"

… **.**

It was well after ten o'clock when they pulled into the gates of the Safe Zone. The rhythmic chirps of the frogs and other insects came alive at night when everyone were preparing for bed and they gave an earthy musical accompaniment on their walk home.

Judith lay in Rick's arms as they walked down the darkened street to their yellow front door. She had surrendered her busy body frame to the sweet embrace of a peaceful night's rest after a fun but tiresome day.

"Today was fun dad. I miss how we all used to be in one space. Now we're all over the place."

Gone were the days where they would all share one big living room to sleep. He may have been a bit paranoid back then but he wasn't risking any separation. He and Michonne would meet under a moonlit window when sleep evaded them both. The moon illuminated Michonne's beauty for him even when he wasn't firing on all cylinders. He couldn't deny her light back then or how much it affected him.

"It makes our get togethers all the more sweeter." Michonne said unlocking their door with her key and making way for Rick to walk in with their sleeping daughter.

"Jason and Eddie are gonna show us a new video game their dad raided for them tomorrow, can I go?" Carl asked helping her with the few leftover food containers they brought from the kingdom.

Wiping away a ghost spill on the clean counter Michonne turned her head to face Carl. Jason and Eddie Ming were new recruits along with their parents Lee and Sara, they had been at the Safe Zone about a month.

"You asked your dad?" She asked not wanting to always be the parent making these types of win or lose decisions. Carl was an avid video gamer before the turn and now that things had settled he had return to his passion to the thing that occupied most of his time these days once he wasn't with Enid or hanging around her.

"He'd tell me to ask you." He shrugged, knowing she would already know how much his dad boomeranged her, mainly because he trusted her judgement.

"What game are we talking here?" She teased.

"Gran Turismo."

"Can I come too?" She laughed but Carl knew Michonne had a love for comics and video games and just his company in general. He respected her as the mother figure she was to him but they also bonded over the same things and he appreciated that no matter how hard things got in this life Michonne always tried her best to let him be a kid during the times he didn't _have_ to be a man.

"You're my best friend Michonne." He said wholeheartedly.

That got all her attention and her heart fluttered as his sentiment echoed. She erased the distance between them with a slow walk. She touched his face, she loved him like she loved her own son and she would die to protect him or Judith and the baby growing inside her. Carl had always been her smile when she was barely getting by in a sea of sadness and she considered him her best friend too.

"You're mine." She said her tone soft enough to break.

"Don't cry." He said touching her hand, knowing first-hand the full gamut of what her pregnancy hormones were like on full display.

"I won't. Yes you can go but one minute after your curfew and you're not in this house I'm-"

"I know! I know! You're coming to get me and you're not afraid to let people hear you call me by all three of my names."

Rick returned from placing Judy down in her room, meeting his wife and son in a hearty laugh that grew quiet upon his entrance.

"What did I miss?"

"I'm going to bed. G'night Michonne." He said brushing his lips on her cheek. "Night Dad."

He patted his father on his back and rushed up the white staircase two steps at a time.

"Seriously when are you two _not_ up to something?" Rick grew accustomed to Michonne and Carl's inside jokes, he was grateful that his kids had Michonne; she understood them better than anyone, himself included.

"I told him he can go over to the Ming's tomorrow to play video games." She lead the way to the living room and sat on their tan couch putting her feet up on the coffee table as she prepared to relax. Rick couldn't help but gape at the sway of her backside as she sauntered to the couch, sometimes he thought she walked that way on purpose.

She knew all too well how his body responded to her like a moth to a flame.

"You're not tired babe?" He sat next to her letting out a deep breath, the day catching up with him.

"Actually I'm not." It's was a far cry from how she'd been feeling most evenings since they discovered she was pregnant.

Tiredness seeped into her bones pulling her into bed earlier than everyone.

Experiencing the warmth and love of her family had energized her. They were smiling and laughing today, it took her back to a time where cool summer days and backyard barbecues were regular occurrences.

Today's party had set a precedence of things to come and what they could now consider normal. She snuggled into the sofa, immensely enjoying the sublime feeling of Rick's skillful hands caressing the calf he pulled into his lap. She soothed the slight mound that nestled their rapid growing baby, her peaceful contentment latching onto Rick too.

"Our secrets out." His baritone seemed to echo in the large downstairs.

"Maybe it's a good thing. I don't know how much longer things could've been kept under wraps."

She laughed as his large palm covered the hand she had over her belly.

"Me neither. Soon enough you'll be wearing my jeans."

"I'll never wear your jeans Rick." She knew how much he loved his jeans but she also knew if she needed it he would give her the clothes off his back or in this case off his legs.

"Suit yourself. Your daughter seemed happier on the drive home after her big announcement. Although can you really believe those guys were taking bets?" He still couldn't believe Daryl and Rosita knew and took it upon themselves to spread the word.

"I wonder whose fault is that? I told you no special treatment. They probably saw your overprotective behavior and put two and two together." To say Rick had been extra with her care over the past four months would be an understatement.

"You really think I'd let my pregnant wife take watch? C'mon." He took his role of husband and father very seriously. Michonne was going to have to get accustomed to his loving, overbearing ways during the duration of her pregnancy.

In a weird way she was looking forward to it.

With the kids now in bed she was looking forward to something else.

"I know something you could _let_ your pregnant wife do?" She straddled him and her core grew slick watching his mouth open slightly as if he was debating on not if to kiss her but where

to.

She yanked her dress up to her waist and rubbed her wet mound on the thick bulge of his pants.

"C'mon baby." She urged in his ear, "Let's continue the celebrations."


End file.
